Three major fires erupt overnight

JAKARTA (JP): At least three large fires were recorded in the city on Tuesday night, leaving hundreds of people homeless and without any belongings.

No fatalities were reported but the fires illuminated the heavily populated residential areas of Pulogadung in East Jakarta, Cikini in Central Jakarta and Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta.

Jakarta Fire Agency chief Suharso insisted that all of the fires were accidents. None of them were plotted by anybody, he stressed.

"We've witnessed three, five and even 10 fires in a single night here in this capital. It's a common thing. So, people have nothing to be worried about over the three fires," Suharso told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The first fire razed hundreds of houses near Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan on Kayu Putih district in Pulogadung.

The cause of the fire, which burned for four hours from 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, is still under police investigation, Suryatna from the fire agency's information office said.

Antara reported that the fire was believed to have originated from a stove explosion in a house.

Fifteen fire engines were dispatched to the scene.

Most of the fire victims used nearby sidewalks to erect temporary shelters.

At about the same time, Suryatna said, another fire burned dozens of houses in a 600-square-meter plot in Kelapa Gading.

"Police are still investigating the case but provisional findings revealed that the fire was ignited by a cigarette butt," he said.

At about 2 a.m. Wednesday, 65 houses in three alleys off Jl. Raden Saleh in Cikini were set ablaze by a big fire, which was also believed to have been caused by a stove explosion.

At least 42 families were left homeless.

During the early-morning fire, panic-stricken housewives and children -- who were hastily awakened from their sleep -- left their beds in hysterics.

Men and male youths were seen hurrying back and forth from their houses to save important documents and as many valuables as possible.

One man was injured while trying to escape from the scene and another person was beaten up after residents caught him stealing their belongings.

Firefighters took one and a half hours to extinguish the blaze. (bsr)